Greenparent

Cold & wet weather veg

2012-02-07T00:38:07Z

I had decided NOT to grow any veg this year because the constant failures were getting me down, but as March gets closer I find myself drooling over seed catalogues again.

Here comes the pity-me bit

Can anyone recommend ANYTHING edible that will grow at 916ft (don’t know meters!) above sea level in a wet and windy part of Cumbria? I also only have a 6 x12ft area to grow in plus pots at front of house which is largely shaded and a small lean-to greenhouse - plus the sun leaves the growing area at about 3pm even in summer!

Broad beans love it but I am the only one who will eat them! on the plus side my compost worms work very hard (probably trying to keep warm!) and I have tons of lovely compost to use up.

I did have an allotment which was great but the closest ones are 12 miles away so I gave it up and despite adverts in the papershop I can’t get anyone to rent me a bit of land with a sunnier aspect.

Any ideas???????

DD x

Oca and Yacon

2012-02-02T11:35:46Z

Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone had grown these unusual veggies? they are apparantly quite easy to grow- i was hopin got have a go this year.
However, its quite hard to get hold of the tubers (like seed potatoes) in the first place.
Is there anyone out there that has any one they could sell me?
i only have a small patch so was thinking of starting the Oca off in a large potato bag- so i dont really want to mailorder a bag full!
if anyone can help with advice or a starter tuber that would be ace xx

cheap garden screening ideas?

2012-02-05T09:45:09Z

This post is about to pick your brains! Our garden is small, but completely open, and I really want to make it more private. We live on a really steep hill, in a small end of terrace house, so our garden goes round the front, side and back of our house. Our front garden is much higher than the houses opposite us, so it would look really odd to enclose, but the side and back garden are currently open and I hate it. We don’t live on a busy road but there is a small school over the road and we have extremely nosy lolly pop lady, plus people walking past through the day. Because we live on a hill, we get really strong winds to the side of our garden, so any screening would have to withstand that.

In the long run, I’m happy to plant hedges etc but I want something short term to help us feel more relaxed in the garden and be able to use it more.

Our garden wall is about tummy height, James has been able to climb it for about a year, but its an old stone wall, so I dont want to do anything which would ruin it, as its lovely. Fencing etc is fine but so expensive.

Our back garden backs onto an alleyway, so is quite sheltered from winds etc but it does get a few people walk up and down it, as it leads up to an estate.

Budget wise is really as cheap as possible! But open to any ideas you might have.

x x

Eco slug traps?

2012-02-03T16:17:21Z

Thinking ahead for spring, anyone know any decent chemical-free slug traps?

Shaded veggies

2012-01-25T17:38:26Z

We have a wide bed in front of our window which has been shingled over, but I am hoping to turn it back over to veggies. It is in full shade though - all day every day. Is there anything that will grow in those conditions? I was thinking maybe root veg - potatoes, carrots, onions - will they work? I can’t grow anything to high as it’s right under the window. What do you reckon - is it likely to be a usable space?

Angie

Are you planning to try something new this year?

2012-01-21T21:47:28Z

Am very excited as we have just put in our seed order. Trying to be more organised than last year when everything went in quite late and never really took off (long story lots of reasons)

Anyway we have decided to try a few new things this year….sorrel ( well HFW keeps whittering on about it), cabbages ( have tried them but the rabbits massacred them- will do cages this time), pumpkin (done Butternuts a few times and always been disappointed so tyhought we would try slightly different) and going to try a different kind of leek- one promising to be more white and tall rather than the short fat green things my father keeps sending to us…....

Roll on spring…...

Plastic greenhouses- the flat pack type made of metal tubes, with flexible plastic cover and shelves inside

2012-01-22T12:35:59Z

If you have used one- how effective (warm) are they? I have 2 ready to use this spring. I do not have enough windowsills for all the seeds I want to start off this Spring so plan to get some out into these greenhouses. They will be in south facing positions, one against a south facing wall. We are in south of England. Are they warm enough for seed to germinate out there even in frosts/cold weather… would be nice to starting with them in March so plants are ready to go out end April/early May. Or do you germinate indoors and them move seedlings out there once they are a bit stronger? Can/do you add any extra insulation on cold nights? Any experience would be interesting to hear. Thanks x
(I plan to get a min-max greenhouse thermometer to keep and eye on the temp too)

Tomatilloes

2012-01-18T21:10:37Z

Hello lovely people, anyone ever grown tomatilloes before? Just wondering if anyone has any hints, tips or recipes?
Thanks
xx

Grow your own, veggie plot type of blogs?

2012-01-14T20:36:51Z

As the title really:)
I’m planning to grow a few bits this year and would like to take a look at a few blogs to get inspiration from

If you have a blog or follow any gardening/growing blogs…

Greenhouses…

2012-01-09T21:15:34Z

Been starting to plan this years growing and look at the gap between what we grew, and what we bought in to eat.

Most of the gap seems to be greenhouse stuff, such as tomatoes, peppers & aubergines.

We do have room for a green house, either free standing or a small lean to against the shed but not sure what is best and how much we can justify having one (or a big one).

We currently have a potting shed which is useful for getting seedlings going but is then overshadowed by a tree as the summer progresses.

Does anyone have one - and are they addictive (eg will we regret not getting a bigger one, say if we go for a small 2 x 6 foot lean to one.) and are they worth using?

If we should get one - is there anything we should be looking for?

Budget is probably less than £500 and would be happy to get second hand if available. Lean to would have to be less than 2m high to fit against the shed.

Thanks!